Category: Coastal News

Bluefin Tuna underwater Image Credits: Shutterstock, Shutterstock, Adnan Buyuk

Western Atlantic Provides Refuge for Bluefin Tuna

5/1/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. A 30-year study shows that conservation measures in the western Atlantic have created a vital haven, contributing to the recovery of bluefin tuna. An international team of scientists deployed electronic tags on bluefin tunas across three decades to investigate stock movement between the eastern and western Atlantic.… SEE MORE

The aftermath of the Morrill Fire as seen from aircraft on March 14, 2026. [Image credit: Watch Duty/InciWeb]

NOAA’s Wildfire Detection System a “Game Changer” for Nebraska’s Record-Breaking Morrill Fire

4/29/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. When the Morrill Fire ignited on March 12, 2026, it quickly grew into the largest wildfire in Nebraska history. As the fire rapidly burned across the state, NOAA’s Next Generation Fire System (NGFS) provided the critical eye-in-the-sky perspective for the massive response to the record-breaking fire. The up-to-the-minute guidance… SEE MORE

The solar-powered and self-propelled SeaTrac can stay at sea for months, collecting data with a wide variety of off-the-shelf and NOAA-designed instruments. Credit: PMEL

Another Ocean Drone Joins NOAA’s Growing Fleet

4/28/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. The SeaTrac has the potential to become a do-it-all research platform It’s bright yellow, solar-powered and self-propelled. It can stay at sea for months, collecting data with a wide variety of off-the-shelf and NOAA-designed instruments. It’s emerging as the next important member of NOAA’s growing Uncrewed Surface… SEE MORE

Image of geological samples from the seafloor that were collected via box core on April 14, 2026, in U.S. waters off American Samoa. (Image credit: USGS)

NOAA Releases First Images of Nodules from Waters Near American Samoa

4/24/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. New images and samples were collected during 2026 efforts to map and characterize the seafloor in federal waters off American Samoa NOAA released today the first images of geologic seafloor samples from a hydrographic survey project to map and characterize more than 30,000 square nautical miles of federal waters in the… SEE MORE

Gray Whale Population Decline Along the West Coast Raises Alarm for Coastal Communities

4/22/2026 - By Norris Comer, best4boats. Three dead gray whales discovered in Washington state waters in a single week in early April have renewed concerns about a troubling decline in the East Pacific gray whale population. For boaters, whale watchers, and coastal communities along the West Coast, these deaths are part of… SEE MORE

Staying Connected on the Water: How Boaters Are Integrating Starlink With Onboard Internet Systems

4/21/2026 - By Arnie Hammerman, best4boats. Reliable internet access aboard has gone from a luxury to a near-necessity for many cruising boaters — whether for weather updates, navigation, communication with marinas, or simply staying in touch. While Starlink has been a game-changer for offshore connectivity, a practical guide from Best4Boats makes the… SEE MORE

Sea Grant Aquaculture Leadership Academy participants tour a Sandbar Oyster Company oyster and salt marsh restoration project North Carolina. (Photo by LaDon Swann)

Minnesota, Texas Sea Grant Programs to Lead Next Aquaculture Leadership Academy

4/19/2026 - By seagrant.noaa.gov, seagrant.noaa.gov. The Sea Grant Aquaculture Leadership Academy will continue for the next two years with Minnesota Sea Grant and Texas Sea Grant at the helm. The leaders will include Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator Julia Grenn and Extension Program Leader and Aquaculture Extension Educator Amy Schrank, both of… SEE MORE

Will We Ever Float a Boat on the Moon? NASA’s Artemis II Explores Lunar Water

Coastal News

4/17/2026 - By Norris Comer, best4boats.com. It may be the ultimate "destination" piece. With NASA's Artemis II crew completing a record-setting flyby of the moon in April 2026 — the farthest any manned mission has traveled from Earth — a new article from Best4Boats takes a playful but informative look at one… SEE MORE

WHOI Scientists Use Drifters to Track Hidden Currents in Cape Cod Bay

4/15/2026 - By MARGARET GREGORY, whoi.edu. For anyone who fishes, boats, or harvests shellfish in Cape Cod Bay, the water beneath the surface is doing more than it appears. A team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is deploying GPS-tracked drifters and running ocean models to map how currents move water, nutrients, and… SEE MORE

Aviation Weather Center monitors showing the tools used for weather forecasting.

NOAA improves aviation forecasts to bolster U.S. air travel efficiency, safety

4/14/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. Passengers, pilots, and crew: Get ready for greater peace of mind. Starting in late March, a new NOAA weather forecast system will provide improved prediction of two aviation hazards that pose threats to flight safety and create anxiety among passengers: airplane icing and turbulence. Covering the contiguous… SEE MORE